A.R.S.E: What We Could Have Named Australia’s First Space Agency

There has been talk about Australia’s first space agency, but that’s not the only thing being talked about. A website for an organisation called Australian Research and Space Exploration has popped up, looking like the real deal for the space agency. With an acronym like A.R.S.E, it wouldn’t be hard to believe that Australia would name such an important facility that will advance science and space research with that. While this is completely false and has nothing to do with the space agency, it gave us a good laugh when we fell for this lot of fake news.

In more official news, the Australian Government announced on Monday at the International Astronautical Congress in Adelaide that a space agency would be launched. The establishment of the space agency is in response to reviewing Australia’s space industry capability, as well as answering the calls of many for one to be founded.

The announcement also marked the 50th anniversary of the launch of Australia’s first satellite, WRESAT. Australia has come some way since then, and with a space agency in the works, space exploration and research will be taken to new heights.

Acting Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash sees this is a great development, securing Australia’s future in the space industry. She stated in a press release:

“The global space industry is growing rapidly and it’s crucial that Australia is part of this growth.

“A national space agency will ensure we have a strategic long-term plan that supports the development and application of space technologies and grows our domestic space industry.”

According to Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham, the development of the space agency also opens opportunities for a variety of fields such as employment, finance, and economic impact. But the challenge will be what Australia is willing to put forward in terms of funding. Is it necessary to invest so much in a space agency?

Birmingham states: “Our challenge and the work of this agency will be to help ensure Australia captures more of that; we become a country that gets more investment, more dollars from more space companies here in Australia.”

There will be a response to funding in the 2018 Budget.

We can only hope the space agency will bring about further developments in the space industry while maintaining a high standard across the other field.